Eaglemont Northern Walk
This walking circuit is one of two based in the Eaglemont area. It is a footpath-based circuit approximately 3.5km long, starting at Eaglemont Village and taking a northern circuit of Eaglemont. You can begin at any local street, although you might like to start at Eaglemont Village to take advantage of local cafes.
The walking circuit is in some parts flat, although there are some gentle and steeper gradients along the route.
The walking circuit, if starting at Eaglemont Village and travelling in a clockwise direction, takes in Alandale Road, Odenwald Road, The Righi, Castle Street, Mount Street, Durham Street, Hawdon Street, Carlsberg Road, The Panorama, The Eyrie and returns to the Village and Eaglemont rail station via Eaglemont Crescent and Charlton Road.
At the start of the walk at Eaglemont Village (corner of Alandale Road and Silverdale Road) check out two lovely murals 'Impressions of Eaglemont Village c1930" and "Tribute to the Heidelberg School Artists".
Parallel to Alandale Road there is a little track running beside the railway line.
Mount Street has a nice row of palm trees along the median strip and some very impressive heritage houses (plus a few modern monstrosities).
You will pass Albert Jones Park with playground equipment, basketball half court, picnic tables, seating, water fountains and lovely grassy areas dotted with trees.
There is a Heidelberg Artist Trail panel in the park celebrating the painting "The Selector's Hut: Whelan on the Log, 1890" by Arthur Streeton.
This work was painted at the height of Summer, early in 1890. The setting was the hillside above to the east, on the Mount Eagle estate belonging to Charles Davies. This would have been in the vicinity of what is now Summit Drive, Eaglemont. The model for the selector, relaxing on the log, was Jack Whelan. He was the caretaker-farmer of the estate, and at this time, shared the old house on the estate with Arthur Streeton. Another work depicting Jack Whelan, and reportedly painted at the same site on the same day, is 'Under a Southern Sun' by Charles Conder.
At the corner of The Panorama and The Eyrie, there is another site celebrating the Heidelberg School of Art, 1888.
It was from a nearby house in Summit Drive that the early Impressionist Painters of the Heidelberg School of Art - Charles Condor, Tom Roberts, and Arthur Streeton viewed the Yarra Valley. Charles McCubbin, Walter Withers, David Davies and others also used the Eaglemont house as a centre for their work. It was the views from Mount Eagle that inspired Arthur Streeton to paint such works as "Golden Summer Eaglemont" 1889 and "Still Glides the Stream and Shall Forever Glide" (1890). This precinct was later to be the site of a number of houses designed by Harold Desbrowe Annear. Walter Burley Griffin planned the sub-division of the area as well as the nearby Glenard Estate in 1914.
Back in the Eaglemont Village, there is a Heidelberg Artist Trail panel at Senior Art Supplies (85 Silverdale Road) celebrating the painting "The Yarra below Eaglemont, 1895" by Walter Withers.
This work depicts a quiet scene on the Yarra River, as it winds its way through the rich river flats in the valley below the sunlit Eaglemont hillside. By 1895, subdivision of Eaglemont's large rural estates had begun, and in many of the art works of the area produced at this time there is a strong element of nostalgia, for a way of life that was already passing. To the artists, Eaglemont was a place of Arcadian fields. It was a place of tranquillity, fertile pastures and wonderful views, which greatly inspired their art. Walter Withers lived at this time in Cape Street, Heidelberg.
Outside the Eaglemont Train Station is a Heidelberg Artist Trail panel celebrating the painting "Eaglemont, 1889" by Arthur Streeton. This captures an Autumn scene in early Eaglemont. The orchard is believed to have been part of the original Mount Eagle estate, and to the far right is the house which was owned by Charles Davies. The house was situated in what is now Summit Drive, Eaglemont, and at this time was home to Arthur Streeton. The work's alternative title 'Autumn', was reportedly inspired by lines such as: 'To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core' - from the poem 'To Autumn' by the English poet, John Keats.
Leafy avenues, heritage houses and beautiful gardens abound. Look out for some beautiful leafy streets and heritage homes and gardens. Bicycle hoops and accessible parking are available at Eaglemont Village.
The circuit can be accessed by travelling to and from Eaglemont rail station.
Photos:
Location
87 Silverdale Road, Eaglemont 3084 Map
Web Links
→ Eaglemont northern walking circuit map (PDF)
